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Old 09-02-2019, 10:06 PM   #271 (permalink)
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So, I’ve discovered a downside to completely smooth wheel covers... my previous ones had a valve stem hole and they weren’t made so perfectly, so a little air would pass through them from time to time. The new covers allow no air through, so what happens? My front brakes cook! Now, when I drive as a hypermiler this is a non issue, as I use my brakes very little. However as a rideshare driver in a very hilly city I’ve found that occasionally I smell brakes at the bottom of a long hill. Who knew just a valve stem hole could pass so much air? Anyway since my front rotors are now warped (they were ever so slightly warped before but it’s now painfully apparent), I’m doing a brake upgrade. It won’t help mileage in the least, but I’ll feel safer having better stopping power... Doing PowerStop Evolution slotted rotors and Hawk HPS pads

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Old 09-02-2019, 10:21 PM   #272 (permalink)
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Will you be adding any holes to the front wheel covers?
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Old 09-02-2019, 10:28 PM   #273 (permalink)
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Honestly I’m not sure how I would. My current version is just tape and vinyl, and I’m already having issues with the tape and vinyl wanting to come off at the edges. I think if I poke a hole in each front cover the covers wouldn’t last long
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Old 09-18-2019, 02:54 PM   #274 (permalink)
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Update, although I’ve been neglecting my car as far as hypermiling, I did get around to installing slotted rotors and performance pads. No more warping and better stopping, which feels like a win. However I’ve come across a handling anomaly that, frankly, I can’t afford to properly fix. There’s a vibration when turning right that I assumed was a wheel bearing but isn’t. The car also feels weird turning left, kinda darty, but the alignment checked out. Only thing I can even think of is maybe CV axles or maybe ball joints (though mine are only about 6mo old). It could be badly worn or maybe even broken struts but I’m not sure. I know they’re worn pretty badly. Anyway, I’m considering retiring this car from daily driver/work duty and get something less worn out, fix this one back up over time
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Old 09-18-2019, 07:04 PM   #275 (permalink)
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The bushings at the rear of the front a arms are known to separate. Take a big pry bar and see if you can force the a arm up and down by rear bushing. The bushings are available separately
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Old 09-18-2019, 09:40 PM   #276 (permalink)
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I replaced the rear 8' or so of my XFE fuel line with nylon and compression fittings, once I tighten them enough they are holding fine.
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Old 09-18-2019, 11:50 PM   #277 (permalink)
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The LCAs were replaced in their entirety just about 35K ago, surely the bushings and/or ball joints aren’t wasted yet?
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Old 10-01-2019, 01:38 AM   #278 (permalink)
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Well, guys, I’m doing another mod in conjunction with a needed repair. After running the Dragon I took the car to my mechanic to investigate the handling quirk, since he and I were repairing the shift linkage anyway...


Quote:
Originally Posted by 2000mc View Post
The bushings at the rear of the front a arms are known to separate. Take a big pry bar and see if you can force the a arm up and down by rear bushing. The bushings are available separately
Leading LCA bushing had about 1/4” of deflection in it on the passenger side... car drives like garbage as a result, and getting crappy mileage due to toe angle changing with throttle position, incline/decline, bumps, etc

Quote:
Originally Posted by 19bonestock88 View Post
The LCAs were replaced in their entirety just about 35K ago, surely the bushings and/or ball joints aren’t wasted yet?
Honestly I’m still shocked at this part, I thought the FE5 arms were supposed to come with denser bushings? OH WELL...

Over The Top Performance has my back, they make an upgraded bushing kit for these cars. The leading bushing becomes a three piece design, with a stainless steel crosspin and a Delrin bushing, machined with grease grooves and o-rings to keep crap out of it, and grease in it. The trailing bushing becomes a spherical, solid unit instead of being mostly flat with voids cast into it. The result, they claim, is an almost 100% reduction in bushing flex under load, which means more precise steering, less wheelhop on launch, and better suspension geometry due to elimination of bushing flex. They are also lifetime warranty, the guy said that they should “outlast the car”. I’m also extrapolating that due to less bushing flex (which causes subtle changes in toe angle as you drive it) I may be able to get better mileage due to it holding a truer alignment. For $300 a set, I hope they work as well as OTTP claims and they really are as durable as claimed! I’ll keep you guys posted...
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Old 10-07-2019, 10:41 PM   #279 (permalink)
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Aaaaaannnd, it’s broken. Like, seriously broken. Catastrophic transmission failure. I wasn’t expecting this as a result of third gear going out. Something major had to have broken when I recently lost third and the transmission has a tendency to wanna bind up internally after using reverse. It tried to bind up at 30mph, the force from it locking and immediately breaking free felt like hitting a big deer, and the rest of the way home it made some gawd awful knocking and grinding noises. To be honest the last couple miles or so I played Rammstein at full volume so I wouldn’t have to hear the trans eating itself...
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Old 10-08-2019, 06:58 AM   #280 (permalink)
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Ah, you made some classic transmission-salad?
Have you looked for a spare from junkyards yet?

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